The Toolbox!

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**Casey's Law**

The Toolbox is a comprehensive itinerary of everything you need in your hobby kit! Please post links to your suggestions so people can buy your goodies. This first post will be updated to show the most recent list!

Welcome to The Toolbox!!

The Buildbox:
1. Gel, Thin and Rubberized Super Glue
1. Plastic glue/Bondene cement glue
2. Rare earth magnets and a drill bit of the same diameter
2. Seam Scraper
3. Kicker/Baking soda
3. Half inch cross locking clamps/Hemostats

The Toolbox:
1. Olfa snap-off razor knife
1. Emery board nail files
1. Xuron flush cutter/Sprue cutters
2. Diamond files/Needle files
2. Pin vice
2. Razor saw/Jewellers saw
2. Small hobby knife with a curved/shaped blade
2. Large hobby knife with achisel blade
3. Tamiya Drill
3. Tin snips
3. Compass cutter

The Heavybox:
3. Dremel(AC or DC)
3. Dremel flex shaft
3. Dremel workstation
3. Heat gun
3. Small metal table vice
3. Small pliers
3. Multi-tool

The Modbox:
2. *Tamiya extra thin cement*
2. Kneadatite/ProCreate/MiliPutt/SuperSculpey/Humbrol
2. Extra firm clay shapers
3. *Oyumaru Modelling Compound*
3. Styrofoam cutter(AC or DC)/Hot knife
3. Mini Hot glue gun
3. Meat Grinder

The Miscbox:
2. Tweezers(normal)
2. Tweezers(locking)
2. Dust masks
3. Respirator
3. Eye dropper bottles/Syringes

The Paintbox:
1. GW Paintbrushes
1. GW Paint
2. Dullcote spray and liquid
2. Oil paint/Weathering powder/Art pastels
3. Micron pens
3. Retarder
3. Paint thinner: Flow-aid/Ditilled water/Concentrated car window cleaner/Tamiya Thinner/Vallejo airbrush thinner/White spririt/Revel colour medium
3. Pink soap
3. Paint Carrousel
3. Airbrush(1,2)

Toolkey:
*Item* - Editor's Choice
1. - Basic
2. - Intermediate
3. - Hardcore

My thanks to everyone who provides input! Awards for notable helpers(so far):
Dark_Gear - Award for 'Most Original Stroke Of Genius'
Eilif - Awarded the title 'The Toolbox Oracle!'
Ouze - Award for 'Outstanding Contribution!'
Chowderhead - Award for 'Most Insane Toolbox!'
notprop - Award for 'Safety Consciousness!'

**Eilif**

My list is way too long, and alot the tools are just basics like pin vices, hobby knives, etc. but here's a few favorites that are slightly less common, though nothing most experienced modelers won't already have.

1) A razor saw blade. No need for a handle, you'll get the most control holding it in your palm anyway The best for getting strait cuts on metal figs and large plastic items.

2) Large hobby knife with a chisel blade. Usually these have a red or orange handle like a scredriver. The chisel blade makes it easy to cut downward (save your fingers) and to apply the force directly rather than the sideways cutting of regular exacto blades. Xacto, Excell and other brands have good versions.

3) Separate nippers for plastic and metal.

4) Small table vice. This isn't in the toolbox, but everyone should have one, and not the crappy plastic GW excuse for a hobby vice. I'm talking about a small metal vice. Get one with a swivel mount so you can better position the item you're cutting and you'll thank me later. Suction vices are ok, but one that clamps to your table is better. Half the price of the GW vice and immesurably better. Mine looks like this.

5) Diamond files. Tend to be a bit coarser than the jewlers needle files that many hobbyists use, but work much faster. Great when shaping parts for conversions. Here's the set I have: http://www.grizzly.com/products/5-pc-Diamond-File-3-x-140mm/T21552

**AvatarForm**

Eilif wrote:
4) Small table vice. This isn't in the toolbox, but everyone should have one, and not the crappy plastic GW excuse for a hobby vice. I'm talking about a small metal vice. Get one with a swivel mount so you can better position the item you're cutting and you'll thank me later. Suction vices are ok, but one that clamps to your table is better. Half the price of the GW vice and immesurably better. Mine looks like this.

As above, although i do need a new hobby vice.

Although, pin-vice is essential, I picked up one that included every hobby-size drill bit and is tradesman quality for $50 AUD from Snap-On Tools.

You will also need various types of glue and mediums.

Im a bit pedantic and have 2 file sets (plastic/resin and metal).

I also have a collection of cork blocks for pinning minis to while I paint them.

**Leigen_Zero**

These shaped blades for your craft knife, they are soo much better than standard flat-edged ones, and procurement has improved my hobby no end.

For example, you are scraping a mould line from a curved surface (e.g. ork shoota barrel), using a flat-edged blade could cause you to shave off a bit too much and end up with a flat surface on the nice round barrel, if you use the curved part of the blade, it removes the mould line with a much lower chance of taking off enough material to create a flat area.

This is like the machete of craft knife blades, you have large flat edge for heavy duty work, a curved edge for when you need control more than force, and the tip (last few mm of the curved edge) for very fine work

**Kirasu**

I just use my fingers as a vice and wear kevlar gloves.. No *serious* loss of blood yet

**Eilif**

That's not a bad idea, Good against cuts, but not quite as effective against strait punctures. I used to use Kevlar work gloves for rappelling. They were exactly the same as the kevlar rappelling gloves except they were half the price and had a rubbery grips on them, which quickly wore off.

However, I bet a good vice is stabler than two hands. Also, you can lock a file or razor saw into the vice as sometimes it's easier to have the tool fixed and the model mobile.

**Casey's Law**

Fantastic stuff so far guys! Lets keep adding and if you don't approve of something on the list or you just think you know something that might be better then throw in your two cents!!

Here is our current list:
A pack of Oyumaru Modelling Compound - LostSoulCasey'sLaw
A pack of green stuff - LostSoulCasey'sLaw
A razor saw blade - Eilif
A large hobby knife with a chisel blade - Eilif
A small metal table vice - Eilif
A set of diamond files - Eilif
A pin vice - AvatarForm
A hobby knife with curved/shaped blades - Leigen_Zero

Could i get links for your suggestions also please folks? So people can use this as a shopping list. I never put one on for my green stuff because i have only ever bought from GW and there must be a cheaper link out there.
Oh and i'll come back and add reasons for the items at a later date.

**Chowderhead**

What do I have in my toolbox?

My army!

No, but seriously, I have a Small Electric Drill,
a Heat Gun,
a Pin Vice,
a pair of bolt cutters,
Industrial Drill,
Industrial Electric Saw,
200 feet of Solder,
3 pounds of sand,
a Meat Grinder,
5 XL paintbrushes (Foam Disposable),
10 different sized files and a roll of 100 grit sandpaper,
Mini Clamp,
1 pint of Epoxy A,
1 pint of Epoxy B,
and of course, my blowtorch and 18 inch Hacksaw.

I don't think people use my kind of tools

**Casey's Law**

Haha, i don't quite know what to say to that. Anything in particular you think should be on the list?

Oh yeh, what the fresh hell are you making man? A tower block?

I admire you and yet, at the same time, i fear you. Epic stuff mate!!

**Chowderhead**

LostSoulCasey'sLaw wrote:Haha, i don't quite know what to say to that. Anything in particular you think should be on the list?

Oh yeh, what the fresh hell are you making man? A tower block? I admire you and yet, at the same time, i fear you. Epic stuff mate!!

Naw, That's my box for my Terrain AND wargaming stuff.

The stuff not in the box are the 10 gallons of paint, the moss, the thousands of popsicle sticks, the plasticard, the...

Whoops, rambling there for a bit. But I think that files and the heat gun should be on the list.

The heat gun allows for the models to be bent and warped, while not having the same damaging effects of putting it under a blowtorch. I know. I've tried.

**chromedog**

What's in my toolbox?

3 sizes of x-acto handle.
5 types of blade to suit above.

Razor saw

(similar to this one but only the blade is replaceable, not just the entire thing).

Small pliers (electronics tools).
2 pairs of cutters (angle cutters from my electronics kit) one for wires, one for plastics.
Needle files.
Dremel.
Emery boards (fingernail boards. Very handy).

**Wulfe Luer**

Methinks Chowderhead has a toolshop not a toolbox.

Not everything lives in a box, but what I have that isn't on the list yet:

Battery operated Dremel. It's one of the pumpkin carvers you can find around Halloween. While it doesn't have the speed of a AC-operated one, that's actually something of a plus when working with plastics since I'm a klutz and you don't do as much damage per second.

Dentek flossers. No, seriously. The pokey ends make for good GSing tools, the flosser end is a great way of cleaning gaps (like overglued joins), and you get a good 30 of them so you can use them then toss, or add them to a terrain bitz box.

**Casey's Law**

The Toolbox:
Pack of Oyumaru Modelling Compound - LostSoulCasey'sLaw
Pack of green stuff - LostSoulCasey'sLaw
Razor saw - Eilif
Large hobby knife with a chisel blade - Eilif
Small metal table vice - Eilif
Set of diamond files - Eilif
Pin vice - AvatarForm
Small hobby knife with a curved/shaped blade - Leigen_Zero
Heat gun - Chowderhead
Small pliers - chromedog
Set of needle files - chromedog
Dremel(AC or DC) - chromedog and Wulfe Luer
Some emery board nail files - chromedog
Floss picks - Wulfe Luer

If i missed anything out then please tell me and it would be great if i could get links for buying this stuff guys!

Thanks for the input to 'The Toolbox!' I think this could be a really useful resource for all the Dakkaites!!

**Eilif**

Sources:

Large handled Hobby Knife
http://shop.hobbylobby.com/products/plastic-handle-knife-765362/

Chisel end large hobby knife blades
http://shop.hobbylobby.com/products/b18-large-chisel-blade-765610/

Razor Saw. I find the coarser 42 tooth cuts a bit quicker than the 54 tooth.
http://shop.hobbylobby.com/products/saw-blade-765693/

I got my vice from ALDI but it only shows up once a year. The same type of vice is available at many other stores and websites.

**KingCracker**

Mine is a plastic tupper(sp?) wear container. Its got "important" bits, the drill bits for gun barrels, glues, razor blades. You name it, if its a handy tool itll be in there. Kindda messy but oddly enough I can dig through and find anything I need in a snap

**Casey's Law**

The Toolbox:
Pack of Oyumaru Modelling Compound - LostSoulCasey'sLaw
Pack of green stuff - LostSoulCasey'sLaw
Razor saw - Eilif
Large hobby knife with a chisel blade - Eilif
Small metal table vice - Eilif
Set of diamond files - Eilif
Pin vice - AvatarForm
Small hobby knife with a curved/shaped blade - Leigen_Zero
Heat gun - Chowderhead
Small pliers - chromedog
Set of needle files - chromedog
Dremel(AC or DC) - chromedog and Wulfe Luer
Some emery board nail files - chromedog
Floss picks - Wulfe Luer
Bits and bobs!(Things that you keep handy for tools that were never meant for the job) - KingCracker and LostSoulCasey'sLaw

Im exactly the same KingCracker and as you can see i'm crediting you with the idea because it is an important part of everyones kit.

Lets keep it up guys it's great stuff!!

**Target**

My newest addition and my new favorite:

extra firm (or firm) clay shaper set (also called color shapers)

These are amazing for sculpting greenstuff/similar puttys, and I don't know how I got by without them.

And of course, my toolbox has a variety of rare earth magnets of all shapes and sizes. I use magnets on almost every model for weapon swaps, pose-ability, etc.

**Chowderhead**

Wulfe Luer wrote:Methinks Chowderhead has a toolshop not a toolbox.

It's more bag than box, but meh.

**RiTides**

Gorilla brand super glue for non-plastic models. This stuff is Insane. Just roughen the surface with the tip of a file, and it'll do the rest... no pinning required! Way better than GW super glue / krazy glue / etc.

Also a Dremel... for drastic measures.

**Chowderhead**

RiTides wrote:Gorilla brand super glue for non-plastic models. This stuff is Insane. Just roughen the surface with the tip of a file, and it'll do the rest... no pinning required!

Also a Dremel... for drastic measures.

Touche. And I have to agree with the Dremel. I don't carry it around with me in the bag, but I still have one.

And by one, I of course mean 2.

Automatically Appended Next Post:
Also, one of these will come in handy whilst modeling:

**RiTides**

I should've said, and for when you don't want to use Epoxy

I am curious, though. Where do you get that? I have used JB Weld epoxy on miniatures before and the result was... messy.

Edit: Also, to the OP, it would be cool to update the first post with the list of recommendations that you're keeping, so that people can quickly find it without having to search through the thread.

**Chowderhead**

I will buy it at my FLHS (Friendly Local Hardware Store), where I get my Polystyrene for my boards (2 inch sheets FTW) and where I get a lot of my hobby supplies.

Oh, and Amazon sells it. for 8 bucks. But hey, it works like a charm. You just gotta keep it still until the resin has cured. I usually leave it overnight, to be safe.

**cyrax777**

Sprue cutters dont know the brand but I got it from ace.
bondene from n PLASTRUCT [URL]http://www.plastruct.com/pages/CementGuide.html[/ URL] brush on put the pieces together and it welds them together.

**AvatarForm**

LostSoulCasey'sLaw wrote:The Toolbox:Pack of green stuff - LostSoulCasey'sLaw

The generic name for "GreenStuff" is Kneadatite.

Google suppliers in your local area/country and you should be able to get about 36"/3"/100g separate tubes of the yellow and blue for approx AUD$30 or less.

This is a heck of alot less expensive than 6" for AUD$20 that GW charges.

Also, look into the following:

ProCreate

MiliPutt - Military Putty for plastic scale models

Super Sculpey

**Ouze**

Cool thread, bro! I always like discussion the tools of the trade.

I have 2 completely separate loadouts. I work at night at a place that is sometimes quiet, and I can get some assembling\painting in, depending. So, I have a little travel pack I take with me. I think I got it at Best Buy many years ago. I don't know. Anyway, In this pack I keep:

Left pocket:
Baggie of pinning.... pins?
double ended pin vise, terrible quality, with some different sized bits <-avoid
baggie of thumbtacks with rare earth magnets glued to the end (I use these for painting heads; I stick them into the bottom and then stick them on the side of my desk till dry)
6 half-inch clamps for holding other parts, these are awesome
some salsa cups for holding water\using upside down as a palette

Right pocket:
eyedropper of kicker
eyedropper of retarder
eyedropper of premixed flow-aid
eyedropper of pink soap
some superglue gel

Center pocket:
Olfa snap-off razor knife
xuron flush cutter, in bad condition from cutting pins
tweezer, normal
tweezer, locking
some needle files
scissors
2 mini-sharpies
a few micron pens

Main compartment:
2 baseball card boxes, which fit perfectly in the main compartment. One is filled with 28 eyedroppers of GWS\vallejo paint; another is filled with whatever I'm actually working on: currently a Deff Dread.
blu-tac
pro-create
some popsicle sticks, which I shave into toothpicks to use as stirrers. Note: would be easier to just add actual toothpicks.
a small collection of brushes (perhaps 8) of which I actually use 3

---

My home collection is a much the same, but expanded. No pics of that since I'm at work. I have my desk, with my laptop on it. Speakers. Under the desk in the back are my resins and mold materials. I have a pretty good pin vise, a good condition xuron flush cutter, a crappy pair of wire snips I use to cut pins, a wire stripper, a cordless dremel, a paintier 80 with paint in it, a few different grades of super glue, some plastic cement, some clear part glue. In the drawers I have a gallon baggie full of decals, some boxes with bases and broken bitz only good for basing, some sand, stuff like that. A big bottle of Future acrylic floor polish, which has a different name in the UK that I forget.

To the side I have a bookcase. One shelf has heat gun, a soldering iron, a cheap chinese paasche knock-off compressor i got on clearance at the art store which has ruined more art then it's created, 2 different airbrushes, helping hands for soldering, a surgical mask, a proper respirator (which has kinda negated the need for the former), the original jar of kicker, the original jar of flow aid, dullcote in both spray and liquid formulations, black and white spray primers. 2 shelves are filled with the boxes you see below, each labelled with what's in them (space marine troop bits, space marine vehicle bits, forge world bits, 3rd party bits, trukk WIP, stuff like that). Bottom shelf is boxed models I have yet to start vacillating\procrastinating on.

**Leigen_Zero**

Two other things that never leave my hobby kit:
A selection of various paperclips (for pinning)
An assortment of 'split-shot' fishing weights, split them in half (by bending back and forth until the little hinge of metal breaks) then superglue underneath bases to weight them down!

**Chowderhead**

Leigen_Zero wrote:Two other things that never leave my hobby kit:
A selection of various paperclips (for pinning)
An assortment of 'split-shot' fishing weights, split them in half (by bending back and forth until the little hinge of metal breaks) then superglue underneath bases to weight them down!

A nickel fits perfectly under a GW base, actually.

**Leigen_Zero**

Chowderhead wrote:
Leigen_Zero wrote:Two other things that never leave my hobby kit:
A selection of various paperclips (for pinning)
An assortment of 'split-shot' fishing weights, split them in half (by bending back and forth until the little hinge of metal breaks) then superglue underneath bases to weight them down!

A nickel fits perfectly under a GW base, actually.

True, but fishing weights (in my case) are free, as my grandfather is a keen angler and when he buys new fishing weights, he gives me the old rusty/broken/etc ones

**lord_blackfang**

The GF9 pin vice is as comfortable as hand-operated pin vices get, thanks to the large wooden handle spreading the pressure over most of your palm.

Good tweezers are useful for many things, like attaching small bits that your fingers can't grasp, pulling off that loose brush hair, or taking your InstantMold, Oyumaru or Polymorph out of hot water.

A dropper bottle filled with water so you always have paint-free, dust-free water on hand for diluting paint, wetting your fingers when working with putty, etc.

If you're a scratch-builder a compass cutter is a must to make plasticard circles. This item is the well-guarded secret to making plasticard wheels!

**AvatarForm**

750 x .22 guage steel ball bearings.

Simly add one to each new pot of paint to act as an aggitator when you shake the paint.

When paint dries, simply retrive ball bearing and add to new pot of same pigment for continued use.

Viola! mixed paint!